A

David

Darling

hyperopia (far-sightedness)

hyperopia explained

Image © Nucleus Communications, Inc.


Hyperopia, or farsightedness ("longsightedness" in the UK), is a visual defect in which nearby objects appear blurred because their images are focused behind the retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye). It is due to the eyeball being slightly shorter than normal or the lens of the eye unable to become round enough. It can be corrected by using converging spectacle lenses or contact lenses to move the image back to the retina or through the surgical procedure known as LASIK (laser in situ keratomileusis).

 

Hyperopia can affect both young and old but, in most people, tends to be a condition that appears in middle age, typically becoming a significant factor in vision beyond the age of about 50.